Receptacle-filling machine.



C. DROLET, Sn.

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED mac. 13. 1916.

1,228,416, Patented June 5,1917.

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C. DROLELSR. HECEPTACLE mum; MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 13, 19l6.

Patented June 5, 1917.

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C. DROLET, SR- RECEPTACLE FILLING'MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 13, 1916- Patented June 5, 1917.

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C. DROLET, SR-

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I3. I916- ,228A 1 6 Patented J une 5, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

awue/nto z CHARLES nnonnnjsn, or PHILADELPHIA,.IPENNSYLVANIA, assrenonro FELs AND COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

REfiEIPTACLE-FILLING MACHINE.

jlflEBAMi.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, C ARLES Dnonn'r, Sr, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacle-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to packing machines, and has for an object'to provide a machine which will efficiently and expeditiously accomplish the function of packing various articles of merchandise into suitable containers or receptacles.

Another object resides in a packing machine primarily adaptable for use in soap manufacturing establishments, wherein is.

provided means for assembling and packing bars of soap into suitable shipping and handling receptacles.

A further object thereofis to accomplish the above set forth function in a purely mechanical manner so as to practically eliminate the element of manual labor hitherto involved. in fulfilling this result.

- Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement'of parts, which will be hereinafterfullyset forth and pointed out with particularity in the annexed claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan of the packing machine comprising the present invention,parts having been shown in section to disclose the underlying structure.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

F 3 is a transverse sectional view, the plan of which being disclosed by the line 33 of 1.. y

4iis a similar view taken along the line 4-4: of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 1, taken in thedirection indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional. view, taken ali'ing the line 66 of Fig. 1, disclosing more particularly the carrier operating mechalllsn'l.

taken Fig. 7 is a fragmentary bottom riew Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Application filed December 13; 1916. Serial No. 136,654..

setting forth the receptacle table and its controlling means. 4

F igQS is a detailed view, disclosing the mechanism for effecting the release of soap from the magazine structure.

Figs. 9and 10 are detail views of the machine.

Similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In. order that the aims and achievements of the present invention may be more fully understood, it is advisable to state at this juncture that in the soap manufacturing industry it has usually been the common practice to pack soap into the usual cartons or receptacles through the agency of manual labor, that is, by hand. This method, it will be obvious, is not eflicient, and is naturally slow inasmuch as it necessitates in large plants the employment of considerable labor, and materially adds to the overhead cost of manufacturing the product. Therefore, in order to reduce this expense, and at the same time to more expeditiously accomplish this result, ll employ a relatively simple, yet eiii- I cient machine for automatically packing. soap and similar merchandise'into a receptacle. Themachinein its preferred embodiment has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and its operation and constructi on will be fully set forth in the following description. However, while it has been specifically stated that the machine is emplayed for soap packing purposes, it will, of course, be appreciated that the same may be placed into other similar uses, and such analogous uses of the invention is contemplated by this application. Referring more particularly to the details of improved packing machine, the same will be indicated in its entirety in the accompanying drawings by the letter B. The machine in this instance, consists of a metallic frame 10, having substantially cubical'outlines; the frame may be of any suitable size or construction, but generally comprises a braced angle-iron structure, which imparts to the frame a de red degree of strength, lightness'and durability witheconomy of manufacture. Upon one ofthe. angle-irons 11 of the frame is a. bearing 12 in which isjournaled the outer,

extremities of a power receiving shaft 13, the latter having a sprocket wheel 14 secured to its outer end, a chain15 passes over the sprocket wheel, and is adapted to extend to any suitable source of power (not shown), in order to effect the rotation of the shaft 13. Incidentally, other equivalent means may be resorted to in order to revolve the shaft 13, as will be clearly understood. The opposite end of the shaft 13 is journaled and support-' ed within a second be'aring16, secured to and depending from an angle bar 17, forming a part of the frame 10.

Rotatable with shaft 13 is a second s )rocket wheel 17 over which is trained an endless chain 18 which extends to a sprocket 19, keyed or otherwise securedto acrank-' shaft 20, the latter being revoluble inbear- Y ings 21 protruding from an' upper cross bal '20 22 of the frame 10. Thus, it will be seen that the rotationfof theshaft 13 will impartf synchronous movement to the crank-shaft 20. Said crank-shaft is formed with parallel crank portions 21, to which are secured the outer extremities of reciprocating or connecting links 22, the latter having their inner extremities swiveled to reciprocating 7 pushing plates 23 Whereby the rotation of 28, which are adapted tocover the open.

:in the magazines and is fed downwardly toward the guides 24 by gravity. Attention is directed to the action of the pressing plates 23, which are adapted to'reciprocate upon the rotation of the crank-shaft 20. The plates are provided with shelf portions 7 lower extremities ofthe magazines 26 when and for advancingthe soap by stages'of steps 7 along 'sald gu1des. It Wlll be appreciated the plates are advanced to their innermost positions soas to support the bodyof soap contained within the magazines. However,

when the plates are withdrawn, the shelf portions 28 will lie outside of the magazines 26, thus permlttmg a single cake of soap .to

"be depositedby each magazine upon their'respectiveguides 24, and this soap will be moved forwardly or inwardly along said gu des upon the next vinward operation of the pressing plates. It will thusbe seen that there is provided mechanism for intermit'tently controlling the admittance of soap or thedeposit thereof upon the guides that munerou methods may be devised for 'otal point; f the oscillating effecting the feeding of soap to the machine. Themagazine structure 26 which has been disclosed is merely used for purposes of illustration; thatis, if convenient, the soap may be placed by hand upon the guides 24 or may be formed a part or a continuation of a soap wrapping machine (not shown).

Immediately adjacent to the inner extremities of the guides 24, there is pivotally' mounted, as at 30 to the frame 10, a plu rality of what will be termed for purposes of description carrier elements 31, which are employed to conduct soap from the guides to a position in contiguity with soap receiving receptacles to be'hereinafter described, Thecarriers normally assume the horizontal position in direct alinement with 7 each of the guides 24, so'that soap pushed off of said guides by the action of' the plates 23 will be caughtv within the substantially U-shaped carriers 31. Means have been pro- 7 vided, when the plates 23 are being with drawn, to conduct the soap-from this horizontal position to a substantially vertical position. To this end, the shaft 13 is p og vided with a sprocket 33, over which is trained a chain 34,'which leads to a similar The shaft 36 is rotatably mounted in bearings 37 .pending from the frame 10., thus the rotation of theshaft 13 will impart similar movement to the cam shaft through the medium of the chain connection disclosed.

Secured to one extremity of the shaft 36 is a cam 40 which operates between rollers 41 fixed upon a vertically extending arm 42, integrally formedwith a U-shaped rack elesprocket 35 mount'ed upon a cam shaft 36. Y

ment 43. The carrier elements 31 are provided with off-set arms 44, to which are fixed pinions 45which are adapted to mesh with the rack element 43 so that the rotation of the pinions will result in revolving the carriers 31 from either a horizontal position 7 to a vert1calpos t1on or vice versa. A coiled spring 46 is connected with the arm 42 and with a part of the frame 10 and normally serves to regulate the movement of therarriers, that is to assistin'retaining the carriers in their several positions.

The inner extremity of theshaft13 is pro vided with a crankt which carries at its uter end'arollcr 51, saidroller being operable in aslot 52 formed in an oscillating arm the latter-bein pivoted asat 54 to a depending bracketfio secured to the 'framelO. Thus the rotation'o'f the crank 50 will impart an oscillating movement to the arm 53,

and it will be noted. that by the position of 'the roller"51 withinthe" slot 52 of thearm that the forwa rd orinward'movementof the oscillating arm will"be relatively slowi but that the returner. outwardimovement of the arm willbe relatively fast, byvirtue of the location of the rollerlwith respect to the pivor an equivalent 71.

discharged from the guides 2%.

Pivotally connected to the upper extremity of the arm 53 isathrow rod 56, which extends inwardly and is pivotally connected as in 57 to a pressing plate 58, the latter being mounted for reciprocating between fixed guides 59 which are secured to the frame 10. Rigidly connected with the plate 58 is an extension 60 which has its inner extremity fixed to an ejecting plate 61, the plate 61 being adapted to enter the carrier elements 31 and to traverse their thickness, when said elements are in a vertical position, so that the soap carried by said carrier elements will be discharged therefrom into other mechanism to be hereinafter described, so that the carriers may again resume their horizimtal positions for the reception of soap Fixed upon a n'iovalli le receptacle receiving table 6b are a plurality of soap guiding frames 66, which are alternately positioned immediately adj acent to the carriers 31 when the latter are in their vertical positions and the frames 66 are :ulaptcd to receive the soap immediately after the same is ejected from the carriers the sides of the frame (56 are slightly flared as at (57 to receive the folding wings 68 of suitable receptacles or cartons 69 into which soap is adapted to be packed. It will be noted that the table is adaptedto receive a plurality of the receptacles '69, this being done in order that after the filling of one receptacle, an empty receptacle may be substituted in place of the filled one in an automatic manner,so that the removal of the filled receptacle may be facilitated as Well as the insertion of an empty one. The movement of the table 65 is effected by providing the shaft 13 with a roller carrying plate 70 which plate carries a single roller The roller 71 is adapted to engage with a star wheel 72 keyed upon a shaft 73 journaled in bearings 73. Thus every complete cycle of movement on part of the plate 70 will result in rotating the star wheel 7 2 a distance equal to the space between each of the toothed elements 7 f comprising the star wheel. 1 It will be clearly understood that this movement will be correspondingly im parted to the shaft '73. While not engaged by the roller 71., the wheel 72 will remain locked against rotation, this being accomplished through the provision of a lever '7 pivotally mounted as at 76 upon'a fixed lu'acket 7T. Portions of the lever are arranged to be in the path of movement of its pivotTG. The opposite end of the lever 75 is provided with a fixed stud 78 which is adapted to engage with the notches 79 formed in the toothed elements 74 of the star wheel, :and the retention of the studs within the notches 79 is'insuredby having the lever 75 connected with a contractile spring 80. Fixed to the intermittently rotatable shaft 73 is a cam element 81 in the periphery of which is formed a cam slot 82 and operable in the slot 82 is a roller 83 carried by the outer extremity of a fixed arm 84:, the arm Set being integrally formed with a rack segment 85. Said segment is pivotally secured to the frame 10 through the agency of a bolt 86 passing through the bearing 87 mounted upon said frame. It will thus be seen that the oscillation of the segment will be regulated in accordance to the position of the roller 83 within the slot 82. The table 65 is provided with a horizontally extending rack bar 88, the teeth of which being adapted to mesh with the segment 85, thus the movement of the cam element 81 will directly control the position of the table 65 upon the frame 10, that the table 65 will be alternately reciprocated by the element 81 so that the frame (36 may be positioned in alinement with the carriers when the latter are in a vertical position. The frames 66 are provided in order that the receptacle 69 may be readily positioned upon the reciprocating table 65 and positioned in back of one of the receptacles, and carried by the table 65, is a holding plate 90, said plate being employed to prevent the receptacle from slipping when soap is being inserted therein. The table 65 is adapted to accommodate a plurality of receptacles in order that the packing process maybe expeditiously accomplished; that is when a receptacle is being filled, an empty receptacle may be placed in position, so that when the first named receptacle has been entirely filled to its capacity with soap, an empty one may be substitutedin place thereof by the automatically shifting table 65. This action permits the filled receptacle to be removed from the machine in order that an empty receptacle may be substituted in its place. I a

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has been provided mechanism in which the objects of this invention have been achicvechand all of the advantageous features above mentioned are, among, others, present. The machine is relatively simple in construction, of comparatively few parts and positive and reliable in operation. The timing of the movements of the various parts may be readily controlled so that their[ stood. Uniform size bars of'soap, contained i by the magazines 26, ai'e'interinittently discharged from the latter and are deposited upon the guides 24 by the action of the reciprocatory'plates'23, which also serve to advance the soap along the guides and to ultimately deposit the same upon the oscillatory carrier elements 31. After receiving the guide discharged soap, the carriers arerevolved to assume a vertical juxtaposed posi tion this being effected by the action of'the.

mechanism 40 and 43 and'their cooperating elements, in order that soap supportedthereby will be positioned Within the path of movement of the reciprocating ejecting plate, when the latter element travels inwardly. Thus when the ejecting plate 61 engages with-the carrier supported soap,

the latter will be thrust out of theca-rrier elements and forced into the packing carten (59, car 'ied by the movable table 65 and located in alinement with the plate: 61. After saidcarton has been filled to its capacity, the'ta'ble 65'is shifted, through the agency of the cam and segment mechanism 81 and 85, respectively, so that the removal of the soap tilled carton from the machine maybe readily accomplished by an attendant, and to, also, permit of the substitution of a carton in place of the filled one, these functions being performed wh le the mafor ejecting an article from the carrier into the said receptacle. a

2. In a packing machine, the combination with an article receiving frame, ofmeans for supplying articles'tosaid frame, mechanism for discharging said articles from the frame at intermittent periods and to deposit the same upon a movable carrier, mechanism for moving said carrier and an article carried thereby to a position substantially in alinementwith an article receiving receptacle, and meansfor ejecting the article from the carrier into said receptacle. r

' 3. Inapacking machine, the combination with an article supplying 7 magazine, of means for intermittently discharging-articles from'said magazine upon a frame carried guideway, mechanism forelfecting the discharge of articles from said guideway'upon an 'oscillating carrier atintermittent periods, means for revolving said carrier and an associated'article to a position substantially in emcnt th an tld GCQWl-I Q G I from the oscillating carrier into said container. r o r 4. In a packing machine, the combination with a' plurality-of article receiving guides of means for intermittently advancing articles along said guides and for efiecting a discharge O'I th articles therefrom, of a plurality of oscillating carriers operable when in a substant allyhorizontal position to receive articles discharged from said guides, means for revolving said carriers and associated articles to an approximately to intermittentlydischarge the soap there from,'of a plurality of oscillating carriers cooperating with the said guides and adapted toreceive soap after the-latter is ejected from said guides, means for revolving said carriers and associated soap into contiguous vertical relation, and a plunger for expellingthesoap for said carriers into a container, Wl1611tl16 soap is in the last mentioned position. i

'6. In a soap packing machine, the combination with a frame, of a power shaft journaled in said frame, a crank-shaft driven by said power shaft, soap guides mounted upon said frame,reciprocating pressing elements connected with said crank shaft and adapted to advance and discharge soap along and from said guides, oscillating carriers cooperating with said guides in order to receive soap discharged therefrom, means for revolving said carriers andsoap carried riers and'soap carried thereby to a substantially verticaland uxtaposed position,

movable receptacle carrying P table, a means forv e ect ng scap-from the, vertically positainer, and means for eje'cting an' article;

thereb to a substantiall 7 vertical and EX-V .V 3 a l tioned carriers into receptacles supported upon said movable table, and means for effecting the movement of said table to aline an empty receptacle with said carriers subse quent t0 the filling of a receptacle.

8. In a soap packing machine, in combination, a guideway, means for intermittently discharging cakes of soap from the guide- Way a movable carrier operable to receive the guide discharged soap, means for-moving said carrier and an associated cake of soap to a position in communication With a container, and means for ejecting the soap from said carrier into said container.

9. In a soap packing machine, the combination with a soap feeding mechanism, of oscillating carriers adapted to receive soap after the latter is discharged from the feeding mechanism, means for oscillating the carriers from soap receiving to soap discharging positions, and mechanism operable to eject soap from said carriers, When the latter are in a discharging position into a packin receptacle.

10. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, soap guides mounted upon said frame for the reception of horizontally alined bars of soap, means for intermittently discharging soap from said guide-Ways, mechanism for receiving soap discharged from said guideways for conveying the same to a position in contiguity With a packing receptacle, and reciprocating pressing elements operable to eject the soap into said receptacles.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

CHARLES DROLET, SR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

